“Khyber Pass” Lee-Enfield No.I Mk.III* Rifle

[Badger]

With thanks to member Steve H. in N.Y., we've added a new entry to the England - Milsurp Knowledge Library (click here)

“Khyber Pass” Lee-Enfield No.I Mk.III* Rifle (click here)

Article extract …..

The Khyber Pass is a border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan known for it’s local weapons industry, notably the often crude manufacture of copies of well known firearms including Lee-Enfield rifles. These “KP Special” Enfields were fairly rare here in the USA until 2007 when a quantity were imported, then they turned up in dealers’ racks and on several web sites. Unfortunately, the rifles were not always advertised as what they really were with their false markings, dubious quality and general unsuitability for firing live ammunition.

Samples from 30 picture photo montage …

(Click PIC to Enlarge)(Click PIC to Enlarge)

Regards,
Badger

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

I don't care, I still think these things are facinating!

[Jollygreenslugg]

Yeah, I'd love one. I wouldn't dare think of letting anything that goes 'bang' come close to it, but it is a fascinating example of human ingenuity.

Cheers,
Matt

[bearhunter]

x4, I like them too. I've had a couple over the last few years but have only kept a Martini clone, which is shown in pics on another thread here.

I'm not promoting the thread but the Martini is a far better example of craftsmanship than the No1 rifle pictured above.

I've seen many of the Khyber examples and there really seems to be a demand for them. They certainly don't last long at gun shows and are bringing a much higher dollar than they used to.

Homemade clones are not only common to the Khyber Pass area. I once saw a captured 1911 clone that was made in Viet Nam. It was crude but operational. It was later in a photo montage on a now defunct US site. I'm willing to bet others are out there. In the fifties, there was an escaped mad man in Alberta, that made up a revolver out of tractor and truck axles. It was chambered in 303Brit, 30-30Win, 30-40Krag and 30-06. It was all made by hand with worn hand tools and in the bush. He had stolen ammunition or gathered it from cabins in the bush and used it to gather game until he was apprehended after a few years.

As kids, we used to make up some pretty crude and inefficient rim fire rifles but nothing on the scale of the Khyber models.

If we are told, that all firearms are banned, these clones will appear on a regular basis. They may stop the vast majority from having them but there will always be enough around to make the control freaks nervous.

[Bindi2]

It is not long ago that a bloke got knocked off making owen guns and they have no idea how many he made. The sten was made on very simple machinery. The Russians made a sub that used a leather wad as a bolt stop. Banning guns will create an industry underground just like the JEWS did to the Brits after WW2. While we have what we have nobody has the real urge to make mini guns ( i think, maybe, who knows, mmm what an idea.)

[bearhunter]

I saw that on TV, about the fellow making the Owens. It was in a little tin covered shed out behind the house. From what I understand, pretty rudimentary tools as well.
I wonder when theyr'e going to ban hand tools and home workshop lathes?

[Bunner]

awsome! I love the rail spike comment. HA!

[browningautorifle]

I also saw a pistol made in 303 Brit a few years back. It looked neat but definitley crude. Except for the Howda pistol or the big one they shot tigers with from the back of elephants that would be a definite handful.( I wouldn't even do it drunk!)